Friends

26 October 2018

EYE TESTS


I started off by having spectacles for reading and advanced in later years to wearing the damned things all the time. My silly pride was squashed when I moved on to fancy specs, making the excuse that I had to keep up with modern fashions.

And so I did. For the next forty years.

Opticians then were different, they prescribed lenses that suited my eye sight, but it changed when fashionable frames took over, when opticians got more money-minded and called their customers in once a year – for a test, you understand. However, more time was spent choosing frames than getting the eye test, an eye test that demanded a change in prescription.

Why not stick with the old frames? Because there was more money to be made updating the old ones. I did attempt to update the old until I heard the cost. Several hundred pounds…. Apparently cutting new lenses to fit old frames cost more than fitting them into new frames. Can you see the sense in that?

It got that once a year I was choosing new frames which was cheaper than having new lens in old specs. I never saw the logic in that but went along with it on the basis that they knew what they were doing and anyway I liked to think I was keeping up with friends!!!

After a while I began to realise that a pair of new specs didn’t feel right. Three times I took them back for adjustment but was never totally satisfied with the result or the extra cost. This year I rebelled, ignoring all letters to get me to make an appointment. I am getting older so where’s the sense in forking out hundreds of pounds. My friend agreed and we both decided to do a trial run, in other words not pressing for appointments.

Both of us have boxes full of old specs and unknown to each other we sorted through them.  I tried mine and wondered why I had fallen so quickly for new frames when there was nothing wrong with the ones I had. I could see through one pair of specs better than the latest.

I have been wearing my oldies for a few months and can see perfectly well with them. I now have a great satisfaction in ignoring the letters…. for now! I am old enough to know what’s what and who’s who, and when the time is right to make changes. 


23 comments:

  1. The only thing that's good about going to have your eyes tested is that they check the health of your eyes too and can pick up and problems early. I paid loads of money on 2 expensive pairs of glasses and never wear them, I just wear cheap readers that I bought off Amazon now, but I did get my eyes tested just in case.

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    1. Our opticians are supposed to check for health purposes but didn't check me for the last two appointments.

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  2. "Apparently cutting new lenses to fit old frames cost more than fitting them into new frames.
    Can you see the sense in that?"

    HA! OMG...can you believe how these companies try to rip customers off by telling them something like that? Anything to make money!

    I don't need glasses for distance, but rather for reading. Honestly, I buy a 4-pack once or twice a year at one of our stores here in the US (Marshall's) for only $10.00. The frames are always quite stylish and the lenses (150) seem to work perfectly. However, I did have a co-worker who also uses reading glasses purchase custom-made frames and lenses from a fancy eyeglass store during the summer and had the worst time with the frames fitting the lenses AND her nose. She had to take them back TWICE to have them fixed. Those glasses cost her $350.00! She totally regrets it.

    Have a fabulous weekend, my friend!
    X to you and Charlie

    P.S. the first word I saw in the Christmas word puzzle was ANGEL.

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    1. Ron, when I wrote this post I didn't realise it would be read by people who have the same problems. It is disgraceful that the world is full of people who are more money minded than helpful.

      Hmm, trying to think - which word puzzle is that?

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  3. I got very annoyed when my local very longstanding opticians changed hands and the new people tried to persuade us to have lenses which darkened in the sun, saying that normal lenses didn't protect the eyes from UV light. It turned out that this was just a lie. We stopped going there, even though we'd been going for a long time. They closed down after a couple of years - they must have put other people off in the same way.

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    1. Been through that one, Jenny. I fell for it at first - until I realised how wrong the optician was. That was when I changed opticians which turned out not to be any better.

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  4. Boy do I agree. My husband got new glasses a couple of years ago and they keep falling apart.

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  5. You do you, Val. My vision has started to get a little worse lately so I am not happy about my current options but I can still get by so that's what I am doing. Take care.

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  6. You tell 'em! I just went through that. Only get an exam every 3-4 years and have had the same frames for quite awhile and like them. Was going to stick with them but actually found a new pair liked and was the cheapest out of the lot. In the end I ended up with a pair of 600 dollar glasses. I have NEVER paid that much before. But I think they will hold me for a long while.....keeping fingers crossed.

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    1. 3-4 years? Our opticians want us to get tested every year. Good luck with your new specs.

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  7. Being far sighted I only need reader... which happen to be very cheap. Lucky me....:)

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    1. Indeed, lucky you. My long sight is pretty good - perhaps that's why I can get away with denying tests.

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  8. So true. I am always breaking my reading glasses. So I end up buying cheap ones. The eye can see something
    Fifteen miles away and nothing an inch away. I like large print books too. I could write a blog rant about small print fonts

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    1. Fifteen miles is pretty good. I can't measure my distance but I think it's pretty good. I'm okay on the inch as well...lol.

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  9. I use the same frames, for years.

    We go to a Doctor, once a year. What ever the Doctor-for-eyes, is called. I get very mixed up, on the terms... A real doctor, or a person who fills the prescription.

    Luckily, my prescription doesn't have to be changed often. But regardless, when it needed to be, I used the same old frames.

    Until I wanted to change to big, round, black ones. ,-) But that was my choice. Not the guy who sells me frames.

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  10. I found the B's, and I found "Low."
    Yes, eyedocs once or even twice a year. They check my eye pressure and make sure my field of vision hasn't shrunk more. This year, I got one lense changed, and it was enough of an improvement that I was able to get a driving license. :)

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    1. It was the thought of losing a driving licence that kept me going. Fortunately there is now no need since I gave up driving a year ago.

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  11. This was a timely post, Valerie. I am going to my eye doctor this week and have similar complaints about a "new" pair of frames purchased last year. I am also having some vision issues with the more costly new lenses purchased with the frames. It may be that cataract surgery is in my future, which is acceptable and understandable as I have heard from many people that their vision was much better after the surgery. Hopefully, it will mean the same for myself as well. Good for you on not succumbing to the an expense if can be avoided.

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    1. I hope my eyes never get bad enough to warrant an operation... honestly, I would be scared stiff.

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  12. I saw Glory first and then angel. Appropriate words together.

    My vision worsened in the past year substantially. I wear transition lenses which I had placed in an older pair of frames, ones that I love.

    Medicare plus UnitedHealthCare made it all affordable to a degree. We are gifted with only one pair of eyes.

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    1. I guess seeing double isn't restricted to heavy drinkers...lol.

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